Process for the sake of process.

An HR person once told me, "Following process and existing procedures is
really important when an employee, a different situation from being a
self-employed contractor", and it reminded me of a situation from long ago.

Every
day a clerk would fill out a form with the departments daily stats and
then enter them online. The form was then sent to the "Records
Department". This process went on every day and then one day the clerk
in the Records Department passed away from a heart attack.

While going through the process/procedure book in the Records
Department they came across the instructions for the form this clerk
dutifully filled out and sent every day... the instructions were very
simple and straight forward... "SHRED IT".

It was later discovered that when the online system was installed
the Records Department clerk was told that the stat sheet was no longer
needed so they could be shredded. The clerk filling out the form was
told to "enter the information online" but never told they didn't need
to fill out and send the form anymore.

Process for the sake of process is both wasteful and counterproductive. Always encourage people to question process as only
through challenge can a process evolve to the point where efficiency is achieved